Pusher conveyer with sectional trough



March 25, 1952 R. TRAMBLAY PUSHER CONVEYER WITH SECTIONAL TROUGH 5 SheetsShezecY l Filed Sept. 27, 1948 Wmv March 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2.7,v 1948 March 2:5, 1952 R. TRAMBLAY 'PUSHER CONVEYER WITH SECTIONAL yTROUGH Filed Sept. 27, 1948 5 vsheets-sheet s March 25, 1952 R. TRAMBLAY 2,590,802

PUSHER coNvEYER WITH sEcToNAL THOUGH Filed sept. 27, 194s 5 sheets-sheet 4- Flei.

March 25, 1952 R. TRAMBLAY 2,590,802

PUSHER CONVEYER WITH SECTIONAL 4TROUGH Filed Sept. 27, 1948 5 she'ets-snget 5 Patented Mar. 25, 1952 PUSHER CONVEYER WITH SECTIONAL TRUGH l Itobert Tramblay, Douai, France, assigner to Houilleres du Bassin du Nord et du Pas de Calais, Douai, France, a corporation of France Application September 27, 1948, Serial No. 51,342 In Great Britain May 23, 1947 3 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyors of the type adapted to convey the broken-down products, from a mining stope for example, to a railroad track over which they are to be removed.

More particularly, the invention relates to such conveyors wherein the products to beconveyed are advanced through chain or similarly driven scraper elements or vanes, and which comprise a plurality of similar serially-arranged elements, each element comprising two lianged side members interconnected at an intermediate level thereof by a generally horizontal sheet member, so as to dene, in each said element, two compartments, an upper compartment through which the products are conveyed, and a lower oompartment through which the scraper elements and the drive chains therefor are returned.

The invention provides a scraper-conveyor of the above-disclosed character wherein the serially-arranged elements are interconnected with a predetermined degree of freedom so as to allow for the occurrence, between two adjacent ,elements of the conveyor, of an angle of misalignment of e. g. about in a vertical plane and about 5 to 7 in a horizontal plane.

The invention further provides a scraper conveyor of the above-defined character, including means for positively preventing dislocation or uncoupling between the adjacent conveyor elements during the above-defined angling movements thereof, and means insuring that the scraper-chains will at all times remain in an efciently guided condition, without impacts between any of the operating parts, during those angling movements or in the misaligned state of Vthe conveyor elements, thereby making for an eicient and comparatively noiseless operation of the conveyor.

The above and other objects, features and improvements of the invention will clearly appear from the ensuing description and accompanying drawings disclosing a preferred embodiment of a scraper conveyor according to this invention, it being understood that none of the details described and shown hereinafter are to be construed as imposing limits on the invention, the scope of which is explicitly defined in the claims.

p In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical cross-section of a conveyor element;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 through the adjacent ends of two conveyor elements located in a common horizontal plane.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding with Figure 2,

tual relationship, forming therebetween a downwardly .open angle.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-section substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 1, in the case of a horizontally-angled pair of 'adjacent conveyor elements.

Figure 5 is a View relating to two conveyor elements forming an upwardly open angle.

Figure 6 is a detail view in plan of a scraper element and its connection with the driving roller-chain therefor.

Figure 7 is a transverse cross-section on line 'i-l of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing a constructional detail.

As shown in Fig. 1, each conveyor element comprises two anged side member a each in the general form, in cross-section, of the Greek letter 2, produced by bending or stamping or rolling. Said side-members are interconnected intermediate the top and bottom ends thereof by a generally horizontal sheet member b, riveted or welded thereto, thus defining a pair of verticallyarranged compartments, including an upper compartment through which the materials are advanced under the action of the Scrapers e driven at the opposite ends thereof by roller chains f in the generaldirection of the arrow :r (Fig. 2), and a lower compartment through which the scraper-supporting chains are returned.

Cross-members a2, having rounded ends as shown at a3 in Fig. 1, are secured between the members a adjacent the longitudinal ends and the middleV of said members (see Fig. 2) in order to stiifen the conveyor elements in a transverse plane.

At the upstream or male end of each conveyor element, the medial sheet member b supports a flap member b1, the end of which underlies a tapered member b2 secured to the medial sheet member b at the downstream or female end of the adjacent element (Fig. 2); the tapered member b2 projects slightly beyond the contact plane o--o1 of the two adjacent elements; this taperedmember b2 has its lower face in engagement with the upper face of the ap b1 of the adjacent element; this upper face of the flap b1 comprises, as shown in Fig. 12, a rounded portion b3 centered on o1, and the lower face of the part b2 similarly comprises a rounded or arcuate portion bs, centered on o (Fig. 8).

The downstream or female end of each conveyor element further carries a strip steel membei' a4 extending throughout its widthl said strip being bent as shown at o1 to the maximum angle (a) which the conveyor elements may assume with respect to each other in the misaligned condition thereof in a vertical plane.

In the recess or the inwardly directed medial portion a5, externally of the side members a of the elements, there is mounted the means for interconnecting the conveyor elements with each other, while allowing relative angling movements thereof both in a vertical and in a horizontal direction.

As more particularly illustrated in Fig. 4, each element at the upstream or male end thereof has secured to it at each side thereof, a shoe-like block member c, e. g. by means of pins cl screwed into the end portions of the flap b1; themedial portion of the related side member a is for this purpose formed with a suitable cut-out, as shown at a6. The shoe c is extended beyond the contact plane o--o1 of the elements and carries a bolt c2, projecting into the hole of a gusset-plate d, welded, as shown at d1, or otherwise secured to the downstream or female end of the'adjacent element, in the recessed or inwardly directed rmedial portion a of the member a thereof. The

bolt c2 is provided with a suillcient degree of clearance within the holes formed therefore in the gusset plate d and in the end portion c3 of the shoe c, to allow for the desired relative 'angling displacements of the conveyor elements.

Each shoe c of a conveyor element presents at the end thereof opposite to that which carries the bolt c2, a ramp or incline c4 forming a delectlng surface for any tools such as coal-cutters, planes, scrapers and the like, which might in operation happen to frictionally engage or graze the sides of the conveyor, thus preventing the possibility of such tools running foul of or getting caught with the conveyor. A simi-lar deiiecting member d2 having a similar purpose is welded, as shown at d3, or otherwise secured to the female extremity of the adjacent conveyor element, in the re-entrant medial portion a5 of the member a thereof.

Screw-threaded holes, formed as at c5 in the shoes c and at d4 in the deector Vmembers d'2, provide the fixation, by means of suitable pins, of metal extension members serving to increase the useful vertical height of the conveyor and thus increase the effective capacity thereof, and/ or of pipe supports with which it may be necessary to fit the conveyor.

Fig. 4 illustrates in horizontal cross section, the end portions of two adjacent conveyor elements which form between ,each other an angle of misalignment in a horizontal plane.

Fig. 5 shows, in side elevation, the end portions of two adjacent conveyor elements forming between each other an upwardlyopen angle c in a vertical plane, as a result of relative pivotal displacement about the axis o1 Y l To permit of such various relative angular displacements of the conveyor elements, that portion of each shoe c, which projects beyond the plane of contact o--ol of the elements, should comprise an upper face c6 and a lower face c'I of a curvature such that said faces will not impinge on the outer surface of the side member a, thus causing dislocation or uncoupling between the elements of the conveyor, when said elements swing relatively to each other about the axes o and o1 (Fig. 5) in a like manner, the inner face o8 of the end portion of the shoe c should be suitably rounded or arcuate'to allow for .the relative angular displacements in the horizontal plane (Fig. 4). Y

As shown in Fig. 4, each shoe c is formed with a recess o9 opening in an outward direction, making it possible to disengage the related bolt c2.

The roller chains f are guided in and through the upper compartment by means of parts lc secured to the internal face of the horizontal upper arm or Wing of each sigma-formed side member a. The guide members Ic are formed with a peculiar contour: thus the under face of each part 1c includes a h orizontal medial portion k1 between two end portions k2 and 7c3, sloping in opposite directions from each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; each of the above-mentioned three portions has a length corresponding with the center-to-center spacing between the rollers f of the drive chains for the scapers e; moreover the end portions k2, 7c3 of the guide members k are formed with an incline equal to a/Z, a. being the angle corresponding with -the maximum relative angular displacements in a vertical plane be'- tween the adjacent conveyor elements. As a result of the above arrangement, a smooth impactfree guiding action is provided for the roller chains f as they pass from one to an adjacent conveyor element. This is true for the following reason: the rollers f are not separate from each other, but are interconnected with a chain; when the adjacent conveyor elements are aligned in a common horizontal plane (as in Fig. 2.), at the time such passage occurs, there is a roller f still riding on the medial sheet member b of the upstream element, while the next roller is riding on the tapered member b2 which terminates the sheet member o of the said element, and a third roller is already riding over the sheet member b of the next element. When the adjacent conveyor elements are angled with respect to each other at a downwardly open angle, as in Fig. 3, the chains are stretched upwardly, and the tension thus exerted on the roller chains is opera-` tive to apply the rollers against the parts lc, k, over which they 'will thus be caused to 'ride Without impact. Assuming, in such misaligned or angled position of the elements, that it is the upstream or lefteh'and element which rests on the ground through its cross-member a2 (as shown in Fig. 3), then the downstream or. righthand element will be supported by said 'rstmentioned element through the lmedium of its end shoes c. If, on the 'other hand, it lis the downstream or right-hand element which rests on the ground through its crosse-member a2, then the upstream (left-hand) element is supported by it through the medium of its tapered endpiece o2, resting on the iiap b1 of the downstream (right-hand) element. When the-two adjacent elements together form an upwardly-open angle a, the 'rollers f of the scraper drive chains ride on the nap b1 and the tapered end-member b2. Impacts on crossing the plane o-oi are avoided due to the fact that the upper face of the 'projecting portion b4 of the end member `b2 (see F-ig. 8) forms an angle a/2 with respect to the horizontal plane; the upper Vface of the flat portion b5 ofthe iiap b1 also forms an angle 'a/2 from the horizontal, whereas the portion b3 of said nap b1 is a cylindrical surface, centered on the axis o1 (Fig. 8) as previously stated.

To avoid the escape of nes from the upper compartment in the event the adjacent elements of the conveyor form a downwardly-open relative angle, as in Fig. 3, the tapered projecting portion .b4 of the upstream end member .b2 is aseoa nade to project slightly beyond the plane of contact o-oi between the adjacent elements (Fig. 8) when those elements are aligned in a common horizontal plane (as shown inY Fig. 2); thus, in the relative angular displacement resulting in a downwardly opening angle (as in Fig. 3), this projecting end of the portion b4 will slide over the cylindrical portion b3 of the flap b1 (see Fig. 8).

When the adjacent elements form a downwardly opening angle relative to each other, as in Fig. `3 for example, the tension of the rollerchains f of the Scrapers e tends to carry those chains upwards, applyingrthe roller f against the guide members 1c; the Scrapers e are thus raised above the sheet membersb, the flap b1 and the tapered endmember b2; there is formed between the flap b1 and said end member b2 a gap of triangular form in cross-section, which is not swept through by the Scrapers;` it is desirable however to scrape the sheet members b to the greatest possible degree, in order to avoid clogging or jamming of materials under the Scrapers. To

l prevent the danger of material particles building up within this triangular space, the parts k are made of a resilient material, such as rubber or the like, so as all times to present a tendency to urge the rollers f and consequently the Scrapers e in a downward direction. It will be understood that such resiliency will only come into play in the case the scrapers become jammed, as a result of material accumulating in the triangular gap defined by the flap b1 and the endmember b2, when the adjacent conveyor elements form a downwardly opening angle with respect to each other. Instead of forming the guide members lc in a resilient material, spring-plates of suitable configuration and strength could alternatively be substituted therefore.

The return flight (generally slack) of the roller chains driving the Scrapers is guided in the lower compartment of each conveyor element by members l secured to the inner face of the lower horizontal arm or wing of each side member a. To further avoid shocks or impacts, the portion Z1 of said guide members l, which portion is adjacent the contact plane of the conveyor elements, is inclined towards said plane, over a distance corresponding with the center-toL-center spacing of the rollers, at an angle a/2, a being the maximum angle which the adjacent conveyor elements may assume relatively to each other in a vertical plane. ably extend over the entire length of each element and thus form a runway for the drivechain rollers.

Guide-members z' for the rollers of the return flight of the chain are provided, at the transverse extremities of the sheet member b, on the under face thereof, adjacent the upstream end of each conveyor element; said parts i may be integral with the ilap b1, as shown in the accompanying drawings, or they may be secured thereto. The parts i are formed with a suitable curvature.

Lateral guiding of the roller-chains f is provided for by means of parts g carried by the transverse ends of the scraper-carrying chains and co-operating with the inner face of the vertical arms of the sigma-shaped side-members a (Fig. 1). The guide parts g serve to allow smooth impact-free passage of the chains at any change in direction of the conveyor.

Each scraper e comprises a unitary element and is formed in transverse cross-section as Said guide members Z preferclearly shown in Fig. 7, with an inclined face e1 which operates to push in front of it the material to be conveyed in and through the upper compartment of each conveyor element, along the surface of the sheet member b thereof. The scraper, at each of its ends, is pivoted, with a certain degree of freedom, on a pin e2, to a part e3 channel-shaped in cross-section. The part e3 is connected through pins e4 and e4-carrying rollers j `and links f1, f1, with the guide member g. The guide member g has a curved external surface which may come in contact with the in ner face of the vertical arms of the sigma-shaped side membere a.

It will of course be understood that various modifications, alterations and improvements may be made in and to the preferred form of embodimentxdescribed without exceeding the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor of the type described, which comprises in combination a plurality of similar elements, each including a pair of side-members each generally in the form of an inwardly-directed Greek letter 2 having a top and a bottom horizontal inturned ange, a top and a bottom vertical web and an outwardly opening hori- Vzontal inwardly directed recess separating said webs, and a horizontal sheet-member interconnecting said side-members substantially intermediate the top and bottom ends thereof, so as to define a top and a bottom substantially channel-shaped compartment, means for serially interconnecting said elements, said means comprising a shoe-like block secured in said inwardly directed recess of each side-member of each element at the `upstream end thereof, said shoe having a perforated wall projecting towards the adjacent end of an adjacent element, and a perforated transverse gusset-plate secured in said inwardly directed recess of each side-member of each element at the downstream end thereof, and a bolt of substantial length extending through each said perforated wall of said shoe in each element and through the adjacent perforated gusset-plate in an adjacent element so as to interconnect said elements with a certain amount of angular freedom both in a vertical and a horizontal direction, and conveying means including a pair of drive-chains and a plurality of scraper members extending across said chains to be driven thereby in product-conveying relation over said sheet-member through said upper compartments and in idle condition back through said lower compartments in the assembled elements.

2. A conveyor as in claim 1; wherein said interconnecting meansallow for relative angular displacements between adjacent elements of about 5 to 7 right and left in a horizontal plane and of about 15 up and down in a vertical plane.

3. A conveyor of the type described, which comprises in combination a plurality of similar elements each comprising a pair of side members and a generally horizontal sheet member interconnecting the side members of each element intermediate the top and bottom thereof to form an upper and lower compartment of generally channel-shape cross section, means for serially interconnecting said elements with a certain amount of angular freedom .between consecutive elements both in a horizontal and a vertical plane, and conveying means, including a pair of through said assembled elements, in productconveying condition through said upper com partments and in idle condition back through said lower compartments of said assembled elements, wherein each of said elements has secured to said sheet member, at the downstream end thereof, a strip member having a tapered portion projecting in a downstream direction from said elements slightly beyond the plane of joint between said element and the next adjacent 10 element, and each of said elements has secured to said sheet member, at the upstream end thereof, a ap member projecting in an upstream direction substantially beyond the plane of contact between the last-mentioned element and the adjacent element in upstream relation therewith, the upper face of each of said flap members having a suitable curved coniiguration to co-operate with the under face of an adjacent tapered element in underlying overlapping rela- 20 tionship therewith so as to allow for substantial angular displacements between said adjacent elements in a,vertical plane, while preserving a substantially smooth continuous runway surface for the rollers of said conveyor chains in the upper flights thereof.

ROBERT TRAMBLAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 391,223 Berger Oct. 16. 1888 1,917,134 Levin July 4, 1933 15 2,146,911 Nyborg Feb. 14, 1939 2,258,965 Baechli Oct. 14, 1941 2,420,085 Long et al May 6, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 649,810 Germany Sept. 3, 1937 828,438 France Feb. 14l 1938 

